My name is Wayne W. Smith and this blog contains my musings related to higher education, tourism and anything else that comes to mind. I invite you to scroll down and laugh where appropriate, cry when necessary but always remember to consider the source.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered! Grab the badge for your post if you like:

Our Questions:

1. What is your favorite spring flower?
2. Do you suffer from Spring Allergies?
3. Have you ever been 'blogged out' and needed to take a blogging break?
4. Has spring sprung where you are or are you still hibernating?

Since I am so busy I am on a blogging break and not posting answers this week - please link up and visit everyone!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

My apologies to Brenda. I have missed a couple of weeks of Pondering. I am however, back this week to address today's prompt:

Watch

I once watched the game from the sideline...
hoping, desiring to get into the game.
The play was fast and furious - the game intense.It was however, in slow motion to me
a game which was taking far too long to complete
The referee looked at his watch and blew the whistle for halftime
I had missed half the game.

At the half the coach told me my time watching was over -
that I was to move from the sidelines into the game.
The game itself slowed down as one team started to dominate
Those watching in the crowd started to lose interest.
For me the however the game was flowing and masterful
The watch hands moving way too fast for my enjoyment.

1. March 20th is the first day of spring...is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world?

This is Charleston South Carolina, there is no spring more beautiful than it is here...70 degrees, no humidity, incredible flowers. It is a good deal.

2. What's the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list? Do you have a 'plan of attack'?

We have to clean out all of the baby stuff out of the house.

3. Peas...love 'em or hate 'em? What's a favorite dish you make using peas?

I am a big fan of Pea soup.

4. Do you feel under appreciated?

If you look to others for validation, you are always going to be chasing your tail. With that said, I do however, get treated with a great amount of respect by those around me.

5. Have you been using Google Reader? If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement? If not, how do you read your favorite blogs?

I am old school, I surf from link to link. I have all of my favorite blogs memorized.

6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." Agree or Disagree? Why?

I thoroughly agree with this statement. I think we need a diversity of experiences in order to maintain a sense of balance in life. Just like food, in order to appreciate the sweet you need a little bitterness to off set it.

7. When did you last 'spring for something'? What was it?

I bought a colleague lunch last week.

8. Insert your own random thought here?

I am a rebel apparently. I got pulled over for the first time in my life last night. My offense. The light over my license plate was out. I now have to go to court April 15th to show that I have indeed fixed that dastardly light.

I have been noticing lately that fewer and fewer companies are starting or promoting green initiatives. I was wondering if this was me or if other people are noticing this as well? Have we forsaken green ways? Has the consumer spoken and stated that they are not willing to pay extra for green products? Was the green trend really just a marketing scheme and not really a change of lifestyle? I am interested to know what you think.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered! Grab the badge for your post if you like:

Our Questions:

1. What is the most expensive car repair you ever paid for?
2. Who is the big bad wolf in your world?
3. At what age is the best to have a first child?
4. When was the last time you said something nice to someone?

My Answers:

1. What is the most expensive car repair you ever paid for?

So so so many over the years. We have always had cheap, crappy cars.

2. Who is the big bad wolf in your world?

I have an R&R article that has been sitting on my desk for over two months now. I really have to get to it.

3. At what age is the best to have a first child?

If I had a choice 30 seems like a good age. Old enough to have had some fun while young but also you will be young enough to enjoy empty nest hood.

4. When was the last time you said something nice to someone?

I always try to give the kids as much positive reinforcement as possible.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Spring sprung so spectacularly, so splendidly... Spring sprung so spectacularly, so splendidly...Spring sprung so spectacularly, so splendidly...Spring sprung so spectacularly, so splendidly...Spring sprung so spectacularly, so splendidly...Spring sprung so spectacularly, so splendidly...

Thanks to Joyce for hosting the hodgepodge...1. Do you play games of luck/chance for money? Have you ever played bingo for money? Visited a casino? Placed a bet on a horse? Bought a lottery ticket?

I understand math and thus have a concept odds - so that answer is no. For example the odds of winning Powerball in the USA is approximately 1 in 175 million. The Huffington Post ran a great article on things that are better odds. You can find that article here. So no, gambling is not my thing.

2. Will you be preparing and/or dining on the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage meal this St. Patrick's Day? Mashed-baked-hash browned-french fried...your favorite way to have potatoes?

I do like corned beef on rye. I may making a point of having one of those sandwiches for lunch.

3. What's the last thing you felt 'green with envy' over?

A person who gets to have a vacation alone with their wife. I would love to have two weeks off enjoying life with her.

4. What's at the end of your rainbow?

A good happy life. Is all I can ask for.

5. March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank (June 12, 1929-March, 1945). Anne's diary detailing her time spent hiding from the Nazi's during the war ranks as one of the best selling books of all time. Besides your blog, do you keep any sort of diary or journal? Was this a habit you developed as a child or is journaling something new for you?

My blog really works as my journal. It is interesting to see how it has evolved over time. One of my goals this year to do my week in pictures. I think it will be fun to see how my year evolved in that fashion.

6. What's an item in your home or closet that contains every color of the rainbow?

A picture of a rainbow.

7. Write a limerick with you as the subject. You can do it!! Just remember this is a family friendly blog...don't make me get out my wooden spoon.

If I can not do a "There once was a girl from Nantucket" limerick then I won't. Limericks are supposed to be a little bit bawdy and tawdry.

8. Insert your own random thought here.I found this great infographic yesterday searching the news and it got me thinking whether online reviews actually have any impact on my purchasing behaviors. For me, I think they have minimum impact but for others I think that they can be truly influential especially for young or inexperienced consumers. So what I want to know is; do you think online reviews affect your purchasing of travel products?

All-righty then, it is time for Les' Tuesday Coffee Chat. This week's theme is:

"Keep it, toss it, burn it, sell it "

In the same vein as last Chat's game, except this time I am giving you the items:1. old high school/alma mater t shirt2. love letter from old flame who broke your heart3. engagement ring -- from when you said "no"4. vinyl edition of what was "your song" - you can download from iTunes anyway.Keep It

This is easy. I had an old Brock University T-Shirt I kept until is basically disintegrated. I went and bought a replacement a couple of years ago. I am a guy, of course I love my well worn comfy clothes. This does however, get a little challenging as I have three Alma Mater's (not including two high schools). Man, do I ever get a lot of phone calls asking me for money. Although my heart is still with my undergraduate education.

Toss itI would toss the love letter - I probably would not have kept it anyways though it would have been cool to include in my memoirs one day. You know when I magically get rich and famous and people might actually give two squats about my life.Burn itIn theory, the promotion of Disco Demolition Night at by the Chicago White Sox was good on paper but the execution not so much.Sell ItThis is an easy one - the ring of course. I am cheaper than I am sentimental.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

I normally ignore my birthday but this year with my parents visiting and the kids - I will have a hard time doing so...so I might as well go all in with a Birthday Meme-a-palooza. Let's get it started with...
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Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered! Grab the badge for your post if you like:

Our Questions:

1. When would you consider planting flowers or vegetables at your residence?
2. What is more egregious; cheating on one's spouse or spending the family into being bankruptcy?
3. In honor of Pi Day this week, what is your favorite kind of pie?
4. Would would you give Wayne @ Touristic for his birthday today?

My Answers:

1. When would you consider planting flowers or vegetables at your residence?

I will plant mine at the end of March...I am hoping to get a late spring harvest of strawberries and tomatoes.

2. What is more egregious; cheating on one's spouse or spending the family into being bankruptcy?

I would go with the bankruptcy. That has an affect on everyone in the family for years.

3. In honor of Pi Day this week, what is your favorite kind of pie?

4. Would would you give Wayne @ Touristic for his birthday today?

A trip to the South Pacific!

And here is my 5th question

What charity do you most like to support?

Now please link up your posts here:

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Now it is time for Music Monday...This week's theme is from the Man-Cave -

Music that tells a story of your life

My sister used to sing this to me to help me sleep...perhaps this explains a lot about me....

Thursday, March 7, 2013

How will you celebrate spring?
Do you plan on spending more time outdoors, being more active?

I am in the middle of my busiest time of year. Festival season in Charleston and I conduct the research for several of them. It is really hectic. This week however, was spring break and I was able to take one day off to spend walking at a Caw Caw Conservation Area with my parents. During the walk I did get to see my first Gator of the year.

It was nice having both sets of parents visit us this week. The kids have been thrilled by all of the grandparent attention.

On a related note: The extra adult hands are always appreciated around our house.

Heather and I got to have a date night last Friday. It was very nice even with her getting quite happy with some eight or nine glasses of wine.

On a related note: It was a Charleston Food + Wine Festival event so...don't judge her too badly. Though she fell asleep five minutes after getting home. You may judge that...

Everyone thinks that Spring Break means time off for professors. So far this week I spent 18 hours in my office grading on Monday, 12 hours working on research projects on Tuesday. Wednesday was a light day and I took today off but I have a 12 hour day scheduled for tomorrow and another eight scheduled for Saturday.

On a related note: I am scheduled to work the next three weekends. It is about to be a marathon sprint to get to the end of term. 24/7 - here I come.

Why don't you stop by Sunday and pick up the questions for Heather and I's Monday Quiz About Me?

On a related note: Also, stop by on Wednesday for my Wordless Wednesday and Thursday for Thirsty for Comments Thursday. Hey, whadda ya know. A related note that was actually related.